The Church, constructed 330 A.D., commemorates the hill of crucifixion and the tomb of Christ's burial First-century burial tomb preserved inside the Church
Jerusalem was overtaken by the Saracens, Christians were guaranteed safety The Turks conquered Jerusalem and massacred 3000 Christians The Knights Templar, a band of monks, were formed to help protect the safety of those pilgrims who flocked towards Jerusalem. Cofounder and first Grand Master, Hugues de Payens, is shown to the right.
"To speak sparingly and to wear a grave and serious deportment." severe devotional exercises Any gifts given to a Templar Knights were given to the treasurer and donated to the order prayer fasting constant attendance at matins, vespers and other services of the Church "To receive no service nor attendance from a woman and to shun feminine kisses." self-mortification "To be constant in the exercise of charity and almsgiving, to have a watchful care over all sick brethren, and to support and sustain all old men"
The position of Grand Master was usually held for life. Many fought on the frontline as they led their knights into the battle. Each country s Master reported to the sole Grand Master, who only answered to Rome.
In 1118, nineteen years after the freeing of Jerusalem, King Baldwin II of Jerusalem, granted the Knights Templar a place to live within the sacred enclosure of the Temple on Mount Moriah
The Knights Templar were bankers as well. Because of the success of their banking system, they were in control of huge reserves of cash. On October 13, 1307, the Knights Templar were simultaneously arrested on charges including heresy, Satanism, homosexual acts, as well as almost 100 others. Thus Friday the 13 th being unlucky. King Philip IV (Philippe le Bel) is disputed to either have been refused loans to finance his wars or trying to evade paying off loans from before. Although the Pope attempted aligning trials, the Knights were tortured into fabricated confessions legitimized their arrest.
Although the rules of interrogation stated that blood could not be drawn, torture only got more creative. Most were finally burned at the stake, but others had to endure acts such as having fire burning the soles of their feet until the bones fell out of the skin. According to legend, Jacques de Molay, the last Grand Master, cursed both Philip and Clement V from the flames, saying that he would summon them before God's Tribunal within a year; [8] as it turned out, both King and Pope died within the next year. The throne passed rapidly through Philip's sons, who also died relatively young, and without producing male heirs. By 1328, his line was extinguished Others were hanging upside-down or place in thumbscrews.
This famous tail implies that during the suppression of the Knights in 1307, they had been in possession of The Holy Grail, popularly believed to be the cup used by Jesus at the Last Supper. If they did in fact have it then, it was secretly taken and rehidden during the Inquisition.
14.3 3.7 ft Believed to be the shroud that Jesus was buried with, the Knights Templar kept it since 1204 and used it in rituals, mainly initiations. The first negative shot in 1898 clearly shows a nude bearded appearing to have been crucified.
Almost any English Temple has traces to the Templars Sovereign Military Order of the Temple of Jerusalem Inspiration for bravery, dedication, and chivalry Freemasons Order of DeMolay York Rite Inspiration for themes and subjects in literature And of course MYSTERY
http://www.middle-ages.org.uk/knights-templar.htm http://www.bibleplaces.com/holysepulcher.htm http://www.beyond.fr/history/templars.html http://alieninterview.org/blog/wpcontent/uploads/2009/09/knights_templar.jpg http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/history_of_the_knights_templar http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/faith/article6040521.ece